Supernova
by LilyoftheValley4
Summary: Jacob and the rest of the wolves don't reach Bella in time before Laurent bites her. The wolves have to choose how to proceed and what happens when Edward finds out?
1. No I'm Not Killing a Friend

Summary: A story based off of New Moon. Jacob and the rest of the wolves arrive too late to keep Laurent from biting Bella. Bella is being transformed into a vampire and the wolves don't know what to do. How will the wolves deal with the situation and what happens when Edward finds out?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or rights to anything in the Twilight series.

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**No I'm Not Killing a Friend**

Jacob Black's POV

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I was bored. I'd been a wolf for almost a week, doing patrols with Sam and an ecstatic Embry and I had seen no action. My muscles were itching to run and I was dying to try out the strength of teeth. We had no luck tracking the sick smelling leech who'd been roaming the woods lately. My nostrils burned just thinking about it.

_I'm with you, Jake. That blood-sucker has been alive in our parts of the woods too long. _I growled in my wolf form. I wasn't yet used to the whole, everybody could read your mind thing. I had to admit, though, it was good being on talking terms with Embry again and I could tell he was relieved to have me in on the secret too.

_Keep sharp_, Sam reminded us. Being the alpha, he made sure not to make it an order, but the underlying importance was there.

The wind suddenly shifted course, coming from the east and ruffling my coat. On it, I caught a very familiar scent that caused my heart rate to increase. _Bella_.

_Oh no, here he goes_. I snarled in his direction at the comment. Embry didn't understand my connection to Bella. I knew I had to distance myself from her. I couldn't tell her what I'd become and even if somehow I could, I had no idea how she'd react. That is what bothered me the most; the idea that Bella would see me as a monster and shy away. Billy told me of the calls from Bella that came while I was sleeping or out on patrol, but even he knew it was best if I kept her out of my life; if I let go. To smell her now, it took all I could not to run in her direction and let her see the truth herself. If she fell in love with a vampire, maybe she could put up with me.

_Smell that?_ Embry's thoughts interrupted my own. I waited for another inappropriate comment about Bella, but I suddenly picked up another scent on the wind intermixed with Bella's and the sweetness of it burned.

_It's with, Bella!_ I cried, feeling as if I'd been doused with cold liquid. Meanwhile, Embry voiced my thoughts.

_Could it be a Cullen?_

Sam spoke up this time. _No, it doesn't match their scents. _Sam spent more time around the Cullens than either of us, and I trusted him to identify their scent. I doubt if it was a Cullen I would have been much more relieved. However, knowing the leech was with Bella, made me extremely anxious. Stories Bella had told me about the Cullens being an exception to the eating habits of most vampires made me even more worried.

_Let's move! _Sam thought this, but it wasn't necessary. All of our strides had increased without a word of instruction. My muscles were burning as I ran, but it felt good. I would feel better once we found Bella and took care of this vampire. Boy did this girl have a knack for trouble.

We were close. Their scents were getting stronger.

_Well you got your action, Jake, _Embry thought.

_Shut-up, Embry, _I growled back. I wasn't in the mood to be messed with. I was more concerned about getting to Bella. If the blood-sucker touched her in anyway, he was going to regret it.

_You'll follow my lead and not do anything rash_, Sam ordered. I was young and I knew my anger was quick to ignite a response from me. Sam had to keep us safe, and I understood that, but it didn't mean I wasn't going to enjoy killing the thing when the opportunity came. I tried to think of ways to make its death especially painful. It was better than letting my anxiety and fear for Bella drive me crazy.

_There's a meadow dead ahead. I think that's where they are, _Sam sounded on edge and I didn't understand why.

_Take a whiff, _Embry thought glumly. Confused, I did what he asked and I felt as if my heart would stop. Blood, I smelled blood. Anger seemed to overtake my hysteria and my sadness. The hair on my back stood on end, and I was already growling when we broke through the trees and into a large clearing.

Bella was on the ground, not moving. I took one look at her and howled in pain. A black haired leech hovered over her in a defensive crouch, his eyes on us. He hissed and the next minute he disappeared into the trees.

_Jacob, stay! _Sam ordered as he and the rest took off. As much as I wanted to follow them and rip the blood-sucker's cold dead heart from his chest, I couldn't have left her.

I walked towards her with my nose to the ground, whimpering. Her breathing was shallow and I saw the crescent-shaped mark on her neck, blood pouring from the wound. I howled again. Her eyes were closed and her face was even paler than normal.

I tried nudging her chin with my nose, but she was unresponsive. I decided to take a different approach and started licking her face, hoping to revive her. Instead, I got a reaction I wasn't expecting. Her eyes shot open and she was suddenly screaming. Her body began to convulse.

I stepped back and let out a startled whimper. I remembered all those horror movies I watched as a kid and suddenly realized what was happening.

_He bit her! I think she's turning into a vampire! _I thought panicked. I'd tuned out what was going on with the pack as I waited impatiently now for some instruction.

_Stay back from her, Jacob_, Sam instructed. _I'll be there as soon as I can_. Her screams made it easy to do just that, but watching her was probably the most painful thing I've ever seen. Her body seemed to clench and unclench itself, causing her body to shake and shudder.

_Isn't there anything I can do? _I asked desperately. _She's in pain_.

_We can handle this, Sam. Go to, Jacob, _Jared spoke up.

_Fine, _Sam agreed. It took forever for Sam to reach me, or at least it felt that way. It was probably more like ten minutes but watching her was agony. I've never felt so completely helpless.

Sam came through the clearing, his chest slightly damp from the exertion of the run. He arrived at the seen and I watched his ears press back against his head as Sam circled Bella. Bella seemed incapable of formulating words, not that either of us could ask her any questions at the moment.

_I'm sorry, Jacob, I only see one way to deal with this, _Sam said solemnly. I looked sharply at him as his thoughts continued.

_No! _I snarled. _That is not an option!_

_I don't know anything about the transformation process, but I do know the stories of young vampires. She will not be like the Cullens. Young vampires feed on humans uncontrollably. We cannot risk her killing people, Jacob, _Sam thought sternly.

_You don't know that for sure, _I responded. _How can you take her life without knowing for sure?_

_The stories are true, you know that now. They train us to be who we are. I cannot risk anyone dying. She will be a vampire. She's no longer, Bella. We must stop her before the transformation is complete, _Sam insisted. So far, Sam had given no order, yet and I had to take advantage that. I couldn't end Bella's life. There had to be something we can do.

_What if we find someway to contact the Cullens? They'd know what to do. _

_We wouldn't even know where to start looking. There wouldn't be enough time. This is the only way._

_Then we can teach her. I can't do it, Sam. She can't die. I can't live knowing we killed her._

_We didn't. He did, _Sam said with a growl. _This is bigger than us, Jacob. I have to think about what's best for the tribe and the people of Forks. _

Bella's screaming ceased and her eyes had closed. I looked at her, confused as to what was happening.

_So what we just make her disappear? _I asked angrily. _That'll go over real well with the Chief of police. What about, Charlie?_ Sam was quiet.

_I agree, we shouldn't kill her. Not till we know she's truly a danger, _Jared spoke up.

_Are you crazy? _Paul jumped in. _What happens when this is over and the first thing she's looking for is a snack and we're the closest things nearby? She'd pick us all off before she'd even have a chance to reach town and then where would Forks be?_

_If we're lucky she'll go after you first, _I lashed out angrily. _We don't understand the transformation process. We can't jump to any conclusions. The stories didn't prepare us for this. We might be able to help her. We can't take someone's life because something mite happen._

_I agree with, Jake, _Embry spoke up. I was relieved. As much as Embry seemed upset by how Bella played with my emotions, at least he respected her life.

_Sam?_ He was the alpha and his order would be the final law. For a rare moment our thoughts were silent as we waited for his answer.


	2. Waiting Around for Death

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! Here's the next installment!

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**I Can't Believe I'm Waiting Around for Death**

Jacob Black's POV

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Sam was staring thoughtfully at Bella and we all heard him sigh internally. _I do not like the idea of this; however, I also think I may have judged too rashly. We'll wait, but the moment she seems to be a threat to humans, we will have to do it. _He finished the last sentence looking at me.

_It will not come to that_, I assured. Sam continued to stare at me.

_I really hope you're right, Jacob. _

_Are you kidding me? _Paul's thoughts sounded in disbelief. _Where are we going to put it?_

Her _name is Bella, _I growled.

_She's not Bella anymore. She's one of _them. _A blood-sucker. The sooner you realize that, the better it'll be for all of us. _I growled deep in my throat.

_It's easy for you to say that when you're not right next to me, isn't it, Paul?_

_I have no problem saying it to your face. I could take you easily. _

_Enough! _Sam ordered. _Jacob, you'll need to phase. We'll take her to River's old place. I'll escort you. You guys take care of the leech?_

_We're done, _Jared spoke up.

_Check the area surrounding River's house, make sure no one's around. I don't know how long we have, but I don't want anyone around when she wakes._

_Will do, _Embry replied.

With a look at Sam, I phased back into my human body. I approached Bella cautiously, but she wasn't moving, at all. She was so still I wondered how she was even alive, but I could still hear her heart beating. I gently reached down and reached under her, pulling her to my body. Her arm was startling cold, especially against my heated body. I carried her, jogging lightly to River's place.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I couldn't help but think we should have reached her sooner. Bella, my Bella, was going to be one of those disgusting leeches and there didn't seem to be anything we could do about it. Though I wouldn't admit it to anyone aloud, I almost wished the Cullens were here. They might know how to stop this, if there was indeed a way. At the same time, it was their fault Bella even got mixed up with these damn blood-suckers to begin with. My eyes narrowed at the thought. I erased the idea of them coming back out of my head. If they knew what was best for them, they would stay the hell out of Forks from now on.

A few minutes later, River's cottage came into view. River had been an elder of the Quileute tribe who'd passed away a few years ago. We used the place on occasion to meet sometimes. It was the perfect location to keep Bella. It was secluded and surrounded by thick woods. River had preferred fishing to hunting, despite the distance his place was away from the water. This was mainly due to his respect for animals.

The cottage was small and simple. Fishing poles and nets hung on the walls, but in consideration of the fish, there were no plaques of any of River's catches. A couch faced an ancient looking radio and there was only one bedroom and one bathroom in the place. I brought Bella into the bedroom. It was simply decorated with a dark blue and white quilt a nightstand, and a mirror on the wall above the bed. A window on the right side helped brighten the room significantly.

Not really knowing if she was cold or not, I folded the blankets back while still keeping my grip on her. I gently placed her down on the pillow and put the blanket over her. She moaned during the process. It was barely noticeable but I picked up on it with concern. I immediately noticed how the scar on her neck already seemed to be fading.

I heard the door open and close and my ears picked up on Sam's familiar footsteps. He approached me, a stack of clothes in his hands. I took them wordlessly.

"Do we know anything?" I finally asked.

Sam shook his head. "We've come across young vampires in the past, to find they are strong, but we don't know why or how long it takes. You know as well as I do that bites aren't common." That's right, because normally vampires don't allow them to stay alive long enough. I gazed at Bella sadly, wishing I knew what to do, what to expect.

"You should go, Jake," Sam said. I turned to him in alarm.

"No, that's not happening."

"Jake, it's my job to keep you safe. We don't know when she's going to wake-up, but I don't want anyone around when it happens."

"I am not leaving her," I said firmly. "As long as it takes, I'm going to be here when she wakes up and I'm going to make sure she doesn't hurt anyone." Sam was silent. So I turned away and headed for the bathroom. I figured it was best if I wasn't naked whenever Bella woke up. When I came out, Sam was gone.

I didn't like arguing with Sam. He'd taught me everything about being a wolf and I knew he was concerned for all of our safety, but leaving Bella was just something I couldn't do. The day Bella had showed up with the bikes, it was hard to believe I was looking at the same girl who'd game to Forks a year ago. She'd been so broken and she seemed exhausted. The shadows under her eyes made her face look long and hollow. She didn't smile or laugh. It seemed like it took all her energy to just breathe. My body started to shake as I thought of the stupid leech that had made her this way.

I forced myself to take deep breaths as I made my way to Bella's bed. I was getting better at keeping myself from phasing when I was upset, but I still wasn't great at it. She still hadn't moved and I could hear her heartbeat, which relieved me. I wondered if there was any possibility she wasn't going to change, if sometimes the change just didn't work. I swallowed hard. It was at least some thread of hope I could hang on to. She couldn't be a vampire as long as her heart was still beating, right?

I lay next to her on top of the blankets, gazing at her face. Waiting for some sign she'd wake. I half hoped she'd open her eyes and say gotcha. It would be a bad joke, but much better than the alternative. I wondered if there could be some way to stop it. Garlic always worked in the horror movies or wooden crosses and holy water. If I did that, maybe the transformation would just stop. Not likely, but a possibility. One minute I was I laying there and pondering ways to save Bella, and the next minute I felt myself being shaken awake.

I woke up startled. My eyes shifted to Bella but it took me a minute to remember where I was and why Bella was there. Glancing out the window, I could see it was bright outside, much brighter than it was when I fell asleep.

"I brought you food," Embry said, waiting patiently for me to wake-up. He caught my look to the window. Night most definitely had been falling when I fell asleep. All those late night patrols must have caught up to me. "You've been out for about thirteen hours." I must have had a surprised look on my face because he continued. "Sam's had us watching the place like hawks. We're to know of every breath of movement that goes on in this place."

"Remind me to cover the windows then," I grumbled. However, I caught a whiff of the food and suddenly I didn't care so much. I was starving. I grabbed the bag from Embry and sat up.

"Any change with her?"

"None as far as I can tell. She's been as still as the d—" I broke off as I realized what I was about to say. I shivered, that's what was happening after all. She was dying. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about it.

I opened the bag and pulled out a plump piece of steak, barely cooked. It smelled amazing. "Thank you, Emily." I took an oversized bite of it.

Embry stared at the wall for a few minutes, letting me eat in silence. "Sam talked to Charlie. Not that he really had a choice. When Bella didn't come back home before nightfall, the poor guy wanted to send in the Marines. Was afraid she'd, well—you know."

I scoffed at the irony. "What'd Sam tell him?"

"Sam said Bella ran away to try and find those filthy ticks and you went after her to try and bring her back. He wanted to get the police involved too, but Sam convinced him to wait a few days. Hopefully, that's all we'll need."

I hadn't really thought about Charlie. How the hell was she going to explain this to him? If she became a leech, would she even be able to be around him? Charlie was bound to notice her not getting older. Who knew what else would change about her after she woke up? I was suddenly angry at how completely those damn blood-drinkers had ruined her life.

"If it wasn't for those damn oversized mosquitoes in the first place, the rest of their kind would have had no business around here in the first place. This would have never happened!" I growled. My body was shaking the whole bed.

"Relax, Jake," Embry said standing up and stepping back. "Deep breaths." I forced myself to breath and the shaking slowly stopped.

"You know," I said through clenched teeth after I had regained controlled. "I really really hope those leeches do come back. The treaty be damned, they're going to pay for this." My mind was made up. It didn't matter to me the blood-sucker who'd bit her was already dead. As far as I was concerned, the Cullens were still responsible and I was going to see that they faced the consequences.

"Probably won't get the opportunity in your life time anyway. I'm pretty sure they won't be coming back," Embry said. "I mean, if they could just up and leave, Bella, then they don't have any incentive to come back."

"She's better off anyway. We all are."

"Well, I'm going back to patrol. I'll be around later. Phase if you need us, though someone will always be in shouting distance." I nodded and watched Embry go. I balled up the now empty paper back and threw it on the ground. Bella remained unchanged.

I leaned over and gently placed my hand on her face. Her face felt warm and that gave me even more hope. I then reached to touch her hand but I recoiled quickly. Her hand felt maybe even colder than I remember after bringing her here and her skin definitely felt harder; closer to a hard rubber rather than pudgy skin.

"What are we going to do, Bella?" I whispered bringing my hand back to my side. "If you have any control of this, any at all, you need to stop this from happening. You've got to fight it." I wondered if she could hear me at all. She didn't acknowledge me in anyway. No flicker of the eyelids or anything.

"I'm going to get you through this. I won't let you get hurt. We'll make this work, Bella. Somehow, we'll make this work." I only wished I knew for sure my own words were true.


	3. Acceptance

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**The First Step in Admitting there's a Problem is Acceptance**

Jacob Black's POV

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_I walked out of the bathroom surprised to not only find Bella staring at me, but she was smiling and to my relief, she looked normal. _

_"Bella!" I cried enthusiastically. _

_"You look like you've seen a ghost," Bella grinned at me._

_"Well, pretty close. Laurent bit you, doesn't that mean you're a vampire now?" _

_Bella laughed. "No. I'm immune to vampire venom."_

_I crinkled my forehead. "How?"_

_Bella shrugged. "Just another one of those weird things." I was ecstatic. Bella was fine._

_"Where are we anyway?" _

_"Hiding out in the woods. Wanted to keep you away from people in case you turned. Wait till Sam hears about this!" _

_As if on cue, Sam walked into the doorway looking angry. "You said you'd watch her!" He barked at me, but glared at Bella._

_"What are you talking about?" I asked, completely confused. "Bella's fine."_

_"You lied to him, to us. After all we've done for you." Bella's face was blank._

_"Sam, what are you talking about?" I asked, desperate for an explanation. _

_"She killed people, Jacob. I came to get you out of here. There's a mob on its way to kill her." I looked at Bella in horror and confusion._

_"No she couldn't have, she's not like them. It didn't work—" _

_A knock sounded at the front door, and I heard Bella hiss an inhuman sound that reminded me of a cat. She was crouched by the bed and glaring past Sam, at the door. Before I knew what was happening, I'd phased into my wolf form. I didn't know who I was more angry at, the mob trying to kill Bella, or Bella for lying to me._

Get out of here, Jacob! That's an order! _Sam yelled at me and I had no choice but to obey. I fled to the window and jumped out easily. I could feel Sam behind me. I stopped to watch as the little cottage began to go up in flames. Black smoke curled and spread. Suddenly, I heard screaming. The same screaming I remembered from Bella the day Laurent bit her. It pierced right through me. All I wanted to do was go to her, but I couldn't._

_The black smoke curled around me like a shield, pushing me back from the cottage as the flames overtook it. I began to cough. I couldn't help but to inhale the smoke. The cottage was completely out of sight now, blackness all around me, and the burning just wouldn't go away._

I awoke with a start, gasping for air. The room around me was dark, which disoriented me. I couldn't help the coughing. At first I thought it was just lingering affects from the dream, but then I realized, my nose genuinely felt like it was burning. I placed a hand over my face in surprise and tried to block it out. Realizing it did little to help; I removed my hand slowly looking around.

From the looks of things, it was really early in the morning. It was still dark, but faint beginnings of light could be seen, even through the trees. Bella still remained in the same position I'd left her yesterday and she most definitely was not screaming. However, she no longer looked the same either.

Her skin may have only been a few shades paler than before, but her face had molded into that of a goddess. Don't get me wrong. I'd always thought Bella had been beautiful, but this was indescribable beauty. It was all wrong because it wasn't Bella. I felt like I was staring at a stranger. It seemed like someone had replaced Bella in the middle of the night with a pale sleeping supermodel.

For a moment I'd forgotten about the smell, but as soon as I remembered it came back full force. As soon as I got past the intensity of the smell I recognized it. It smelled like vampire. It felt like someone had taken a super sweet desert and shoved it up my nose and told me to breathe.

I reached over to Bella and placed my hand on her cheek and realized with a start that the chill had spread. Her forehead was still warm, but not as warm as it should be. This seemed to confirm all my fears, completely shattering any hope I had left. She was indeed turning into a vampire. By the smell and the speed her body temperature seemed to be decreasing, she didn't have much time left. My head was swimming, my nose burning and my hand freezing. I thought I'd accepted this, but I guess deep inside, I had more hope and therefore more faith that she wouldn't. Not to mention, I'd never pictured her actually physically changing.

I couldn't help it. I whipped off the bed just in time to hear the tearing of my clothes as I phased. I ran out of the room, racing towards the door. I jumped up against it and used my paws to open the door. It wasn't as easy if I'd been human, but I didn't have that much control to wait till I was outside. I was taking deep breaths of air when Sam found me.

_What's wrong? _He demanded instantly. He was curled back on his haunches as if ready to run inside at a moment's notice. I let everything go through my head. The dream, the smell, the change in her features, her cold face…

_I agree with you. I don't think she has much time left,_ Sam said when I was done. _Unfortunately, it seems to be proceeding faster than I had hoped._

_What difference does it make how fast it is? _I thought sarcastically. Bella was going to be a vampire. End of story. How long it took to do that didn't matter.

Sam pinned his ears back. _You knew this was coming, Jacob. _I knew he'd seen why I'd phased. _There's a chance we can make this work, but she can't do it without you. You have to remind her who she is. _

_And if I fail? _I couldn't help but think of the dream.

_You won't be alone. We're here to help you help Bella. You know her better than all of us. Use that but don't underestimate her abilities or her instincts. You now know how dominate that part of her is going to be. _I didn't feel any better. It was my fault we were even in this mess.

Sam snarled at me to get my attention. _Your fault? This was an accident. How is it your fault?_

_Bella and I went hiking once, looking for a meadow. She couldn't get in touch with me to go with her so she went by herself and that's where Laurent found her._

Sam sighed in his head. _At the time, it was the best thing for you and her. None of us could have predicted this. You can't blame yourself. What matters is you're here for her now._

Right, when she's about to become a blood-sucker, that's when it mattered I was around.

_Remember, you're the one who brought, Bella back._ The image of Bella lying on the ground in the middle of the woods when Sam had found her flashed through his mind and I winced. The worst part of it was her eyes. They'd looked, dead. _You can bring her back again._

I nodded with a little more confidence this time. Nothing about this was going to be easy, physically or emotionally. I had to accept this and figure out how to play it from here.

_Open the window when you go back inside. It'll help_, Sam informed me. He'd seen my dedication. He was past trying to convince me to go home. _I'll bring you some new clothes later. _With that, Sam took off back into the woods.

_Yeah, you're lucky you're out of Billy's reach. He seemed pretty irritated when Sam asked for clothes the first time, _Embry spoke up. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was close by and quite obviously he'd heard everything.

I groaned. I really hated he'd heard all that. At least Paul hadn't phased, though it would've been nice to have a good fight to get rid off this pent up energy that seemed to come from me sleeping so much.

_Believe me, Paul wouldn't mind a go at you either right now, _Embry laughed.

I spent the rest of the time lounging around the cottage. I'd found a deck of cards. For awhile, I practiced throwing a card and phasing to catch it. By that time, Embry and Sam had taken a break to be replaced by Jared and Paul. Paul was already angry at me, so the fact my game annoyed him only gave me more incentive to play. However, it didn't take long for Jared to follow suit. He was anxious about having to be on his guard for signals from me or Sam, so out of respect for his nerves I quit.

I'd done what Sam suggested, so as I played my game in the living room, I left the window open in the bedroom, hoping to get rid of the smell. It diminished only slightly. It was something I was going to have to get used to anyway. I then took to playing countless games of solitaire. Embry dropped by to bring me food around lunch time, but it was Sam who delivered dinner.

"Any noticeable changes?" He asked me as I followed him into the bedroom, leaving the bag of food in the kitchen area.

"Her forehead became completely cold about thirty minutes ago and her skin is practically stone."

Sam nodded. "I feel like it'll be very soon. Even as early as tonight." He paused and seemed to be listening very carefully. "Her heart rate is nearly half of what it should be."

I frowned, realizing he was right. Sam was gazing at Bella, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere. He was doing his best to try to stay ahead of the situation and predict what was going to happen.

"Everyone's in the woods. You will inform me the moment her heart stops and we will go from there."

"Sure, sure." Tonight. I wasn't really expecting it to be _that _soon. I knew Sam wouldn't be going through all this trouble if he knew what to expect, but I wish he could have prepared me for when her eyes opened.


	4. Reborn

A/N: This is going to follow a lot of the events in Breaking Dawn so I tried as much as I could not to be too repetitive. Thanks again to those who reviewed! Enjoy!

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_Supernova_: a rare celestial phenomenon involving the explosion of most of the material in a star, resulting in an extremely bright, short-lived object that emits vast amounts of energy.

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**Reborn**

Bella Swan's POV

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I felt as if I was burning from the inside out. How long had it been? Hours? Days? Weeks? It felt like it'd been far too long. I wanted so much to scream, to cry out, and make the pain stop, but I couldn't make myself do it. The idea of screaming made the intensity of the pain increase.

I could feel it travel all through my body, as if molten lava was going through my veins, burning everything it touched. During a few different moments during the burning I could make out mangled voices, but their words were lost on me. Between the burning and perhaps their distance, I couldn't make out what was being said. However, as I burned on, smells and sounds began to intensify. I learned to focus on them. It was a distraction to say the least.

I smelled meat, steak sometimes, chicken or hamburger. To my surprise the smells threatened to gag me. Even worse and probably the most constant one, was an aggravating smell of wet dog to an extreme I'd never experienced before. I felt like I was in small room with a hundred wet mutts and no windows or doors. I couldn't help something instinctual inside me that wanted to growl and bear my teeth and yet, I still didn't move.

I couldn't be sure, but though the fire was still burning painfully, some of the edge seemed to have been removed. I became aware of voices.

"Any noticeable changes?" The voice was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I felt as if I'd heard it before, but at the same time it seemed very different, as if it were deeper.

"Her forehead became completely cold about thirty minutes ago and her skin is practically stone." That voice I'd know anywhere. It was Jacob. His voice sounded different too. More like a tenor, but it was still comforting and familiar. It was so good to hear his voice again.

"I feel like it'll be very soon. Even as early as tonight." There was a pause. "Her heart rate is nearly half of what it should be." I knew they were talking about me. Was it really only that much longer? I waited desperate to hear Jacob's voice again, but he said nothing. I could hear two distinct beats that reminded me of drums. It took me a few minutes to really listen before I realized it had to be the hearts of the two people in the room. I was beginning to understand a little bit more how E—I stopped at the thought not even caring about their conversation anymore.

I was becoming a vampire. This was what I'd wanted almost as soon as I had found his secret. I tried briefly to remember exactly how it had happened, but my thoughts seemed to be jumbled and unclear. A wave of excitement seemed to roll through my body. If I became a vampire, Edward and I could be together. There'd be no issue. He wouldn't have to worry about being careful around me. I wouldn't be fragile anymore and he wouldn't have to fight off the urge to drink my blood. It would be easy. But a different pain soon replaced the physical one. I realized the words he'd spoken that struck me the most were those claiming he didn't want me.

All of a sudden I wondered how great being a vampire actually would be right now. I couldn't die. I was stuck with being miserable for all eternity. That didn't sound very appealing. Not to mention, who knew if I'd hear Edward's voice anymore when I did stupid things. They'd hardly be stupid if I couldn't die, but maybe Edward's voice wouldn't distinguish between the human me and the vampire me.

And then there was Jacob. I wasn't even sure how he fitted into all this. My memories of him and our argument weren't as clear to me as it used to be. I didn't even know how he found me. Apparently he seemed to have some awareness of what was happening to me and that confused me. He never believed any of the Quileute stories about vampires, why would he start now? In fact, how did Jacob even find me?

From what I could remember I'd been in the meadow and Laurent was there. I was doing everything the Edward in my head was telling me to do, but it hadn't worked. Laurent lunged at me. I felt the pain of his teeth sinking into my neck and then a constant pressure. I felt cold. It seemed like all the warmth was leaving my body. I struggled to a point, but I just grew more and more tired. The next thing I remember was a howling. It sounded like a coyote or something and then the burning started. Nothing to explain how Jacob found me. Unless Charlie…Charlie!

I felt agitated all of a sudden. Charlie must be worried sick. I couldn't even imagine what he must think at the moment? Did he think I was dead? Where was I exactly? What was I going to do when this was over? I couldn't just go home and hope Charlie didn't notice I was paler or didn't eat human food anymore? Oh no, what if I wanted to kill him? I couldn't handle that.

As if my anxiety wasn't enough, I began to feel an acute fire overtake my heart. The fire in my body seemed to be diminishing, leaving my skin feeling cool and refreshed. My heart rate seemed to quadruple in a matter of seconds. It felt like all the fire throughout my body was traveling straight to my heart, causing its pace to increase furiously.

"Bella?" Jacob's voice rang clearly nearby, laced with concern. I wondered what my face or body was doing to cause him to react like that. Suddenly something very warm came down above my heart and rested there as if listening. It felt almost as hot as the fire burning my heart. The object started shaking tremendously. I wanted to yell for it to stop, but the fire would have only made it come out as a scream.

The shaking stopped and the heat left my chest. I heard the sound of something tearing and then four solid feet running across the cabin floor. What in the world was going on? There was a scratching noise farther away from me before I heard a door creak open. Then a howl, similar to the one I heard in the meadow broke out.

I could hear fast running, another four legged creature. The sound was slightly muffled so I guessed it was running on grass or dirt. It came to a stop somewhere near the door. I could feel hearts beating wildly and the huffs of their breathing. In the distance, I could hear beating of hearts, five, maybe six of them, it felt like they were all around where ever I was; equal distances from me and equal distances apart.

The footsteps came across the wooden floor, two sets. They were padded, like a dog, and as they got closer I was taken aback by the overwhelming smell. I would have reacted but what seemed to be like a smoldering fire suddenly became an inferno. I felt as if every ounce of fire was travelling towards my heart as if it was continually being doused with lighter fluid. The sound seemed incredibly loud to me and the pain unimaginable.

My heart beat faster and faster and I wondered how much more it could take. It was like helicopter blades spinning and spinning. I felt as if my heart would break out of my body and go flying across the room. It was beating so fast now the individuals thuds were barely even distinguishable. Like a little bomb had gone off in my chest my heart exploded in excruciating pain. My body arched against my will, seeming to drag me up by my heart. Then I felt my body fall back down. My heart was still racing and the fire was still burning but I could tell it was almost over. The fire seemed to be coming together, now having collected all the flames from the rest of my body and meeting in my heart. The fire expanded once in a flash of heat and dissipated. My heart had all it could handle. It gave a few slow and pathetic beats in memory of my old life and then stopped.

The disappearance of all pain caught me off guard. I didn't realize I was holding my breath and it took me another second to realize I didn't need to be holding my breath in the first place. Breathing was familiar, but I now understood those moments with Edward when he said it wasn't necessary. Slowly I opened my eyes and I couldn't help but be taken aback by how clear everything was.

I could see the hair on the legs of the spider in the corner to my right. I could see ever color in the wood that made up the ceiling. Everything was so bright and vivid, it was overwhelming. Suddenly the sound of heartbeats and breathing caught my attention again and I jumped out of bed and stood next to it in a crouch without even thinking. My nose was disgusted at the smell, yet my throat burned with a different fire that seemed to consume me.

It wasn't the fact that it was Jacob who was standing there, shirtless in a very old and ratty pair of jeans with his hands up in surrender, but the fact I'd reacted like that to him.

"Now is that anyway to treat a friend?" The words were meant to be funny, but his face looked anxious and his voice was extremely tense.

I was about to relax, but a second heartbeat, nearly as close as Jacob's kept me from doing so. I glared at Jacob. "Who else is here?" The words came out as a hiss, but they stumbled off in confusion as we both got to hear my new voice for the first time. It sounded so melodic and beautiful I could hardly believe it was coming from me.

"Sam is in the next room. Bella, your—"

"A vampire?" I scoffed at his words.

"Eyes."

"What about them?" I asked suspiciously.

"They're so red." My mind flashed to the muddy images of Laurent and James's red eyes and I became appalled at the idea.

"Don't get me wrong, you're beautiful, but they're just so, striking." That comment eased me slightly and I came out of the crouch slowly.

Jacob was still staring at me cautiously, but it didn't keep him from taking a step forward. As he did, he mixed the scents in the room and I found the horrible smell of wet dog seemed to be coming from him. Instinctually, I snarled and before I could even think about it, I had him slammed against the wall by his throat. The force of the hit caused the wood to splinter underneath his body. I watched his eyes slam shut in pain.

I heard a growl and vicious bark come from somewhere behind me. The disgusting smell was even worse. I glanced behind me and caught sight of a giant black wolf. I'd never seen one so big before. Meanwhile, my mind seemed to be digesting all the information at once. Should I go after it? Should I go after Jacob? And then it all clicked in my mind. I had just attacked Jacob.

I let go of him so quickly he fell in a heap on the ground. I stepped away so my back was against the wall. I didn't even care about the giant beast that looked like it was going to come after me any moment. I couldn't believe I'd just attacked one of my friends. I stood stone still staring at nothing as I let the guilt wash over me.

I could hear Jacob moving around slowly beside me but I couldn't look at him. Edward had always talked about how hard it was to keep from biting and how instinctual things like hunting were, but I never fully understood till now.

"Easy, Sam," Jacob said from behind me. "She's fine."

I could hear him taking gentle steps behind me. I could feel the heat of his body as he came to a stop not to far behind me. His heart was racing and the constant burn made itself even more prevalent. He didn't reach out to touch me. He was probably too scared I'd jump him again.

"Bella?" His tone was soothing and gentle. I felt my eyes prickle, but stayed silent. "You alright?"

I gave him a tearless sob and I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry, Jake. I didn't mean to. I-I don't know how to control myself."

I felt Jake's head turn towards the big wolf, but in the next minute he tried to push me away. "Bella, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Though I'm having a little trouble breathing," he choked out. I jumped back, fully releasing him. Apparently I was stronger than I thought. He took a couple of deep breaths and looked back at me like it was nothing.

"I'm sorry… I could have killed you," I breathed in realization, my voice as lovely as ever.

"But you didn't. You won't. Besides, you act like it would be that easy," Jacob joked, obviously trying to lighten the mood. He grabbed my hand, but I felt him shudder slightly. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to the cold. We need to talk." He pulled me over to the bed and he sat down, so I followed suit.

I knew there was so much we needed to work out and for him to explain, not to mention figure out what was going to happen now that I was a vampire, but I knew we couldn't do it now. As I looked at Jacob, all I could think about was the soft spot on his neck where I could practically hear his blood racing. His scent was potent and disgusted me, but at the same time I knew he could give me some sort of satisfaction and that was all I wanted.

"Jake, stop." Jacob looked startled.

"What?"

"We can talk, just not right now." This was really weird for me to say. "Jacob, I think I need to hunt."

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Definition of "supernova" courtesy of dictionary . com


	5. Fetch

A/N: Thank you to those who have reviewed. I'm not quite sure when I'll get the opportunity to update again…but hang in there!

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**Fetch**

Bella Swan's POV

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Jacob looked pained and turned towards the big black wolf for help. It growled slightly, but not angrily. An understanding seemed to pass between the two and the wolf disappeared into the next room.

"Jake?" I asked confused.

"Hold on, Bella." I could hear movement in the next room and a minute later Sam turned the corner and walked into the bedroom. He was barefoot, in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that looked a little too small for him. His scent was similar to Jacob's but different though I couldn't place why.

"What's going on?" Jacob must have felt me tense up because he placed a careful hand on my shoulder.

"It's alright, Bella," Sam spoke. I instantly recognized his voice as one of the ones during my turning. He spoke to me now slowly and cautiously as if he was making sure not to upset me. "Jake, I think under the circumstances, it would be alright to tell her. I don't think it would be wise to take her hunting without phasing."

"Phasing?" The word confused me. Then as if with lightening reflexes I began to put things together. The smell, the wolf, Sam walking out of the room, it all made sense now. I looked at Jacob incredulously. "You're a werewolf?"

"Way to steal my thunder," Jacob joked, but he was looking at me warily.

It was a little easier to accept after coming to the realization that vampires exist, but it still seemed implausible. Vampires and werewolves existing in the little town of Forks? Unbelievable. Hazy memories of walks on the beach with Jacob and warnings from Billy, not to mention the unexplained complications Edward spoke of that suddenly all made sense. My entire thought process took mere milliseconds but it seemed enough to make Jacob nervous.

"What you can accept vampires but you got something against werewolves?" Jacob asked bitterly.

"Jake, no, that's not it. I mean, I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. So this week?"

"I've been learning about being a wolf. It was for your own protection for me to stay away from you."

I nodded thoughtfully. "And we hate each other. Our species, vampires and werewolves." The idea of being referred to as a species, very weird.

"For all intensive purposes, yes." Jacob was frowning and Sam was watching the whole scene intensely like he was expecting me to snap at any moment.

I forced a tentative but determine smile to my lips. "Well, we'll just have to break that mold, won't we?"

An ecstatic smile lit up Jacob's face. All of his uneasiness was pushed aside as he charged me and took me in a hug. I couldn't help but crinkle my nose while my throat burned. "We might have to figure out something about the smell though."

I could feel Jacobs body shake with his deep chuckle. "Don't think you smell like a bunch of roses to me either."

I grinned, but forced myself to pull away. I cleared my throat, feeling uncomfortable. "About the hunting though, I really think we should do that, soon."

Sam stepped forward, all attention on Jacob. "The pack will be with you, monitoring the perimeter, but you need to stay with her at all times. If at anytime you think she's out of your control—"

"I know, but she'll be fine," Jake said with determination. I was relieved by his faith in me. If only I felt as confident. I knew Sam was only taking precautions, but it only helped to increase my doubts.

Sam gave Jacob one last look and then turned to me looking very uncomfortable. "Bella, I don't know much about what vampires experience. The Cullen's have been an exception to every idea we've known, which leads us to believe it's a lifestyle neither easy nor desirable by most of your kind. The only advice I can offer you is the same advice I give to members of my own pack. Remember who you are. Your senses and instincts will be strong, but you need to remember you are not just an animal. Find the one thing that allows you to maintain control and hang on to it. If you truly do not want to take the life of a person I believe you can do it."

I nodded, still feeling uneasy, but if I was sure of anything, it was that I didn't want to be a monster. I didn't want to take a human life. I thought of Edward and how he must have struggled to be around me and the kind of strength he needed to do it. I love and hated him for it. Maybe he was right, maybe I hadn't been ready or I would have regretted becoming a vampire, but I also hated him for making the choice for me and then leaving me as a mortal with a promise not to hurt myself. He would only allow me a small taste of his suffering while he sought to make sure I was always happy. It wasn't fair. My fists clenched at my sides. No, he wouldn't be my memory to bring me back. I couldn't use the one person who made me lose control be my control.

It only took me a split second to realize what or I should say, who, the person was. A feeling from my memory as a human remembered the perfection in Carlisle's face, but I seemed unable to recall any of his distinct features. Carlisle's presence just put me at ease. He seemed able to take command of any situation and he'd fought so hard to be the person he was today. He'd trained himself to not only be around humans, but work to save them and deal openly with their blood on a daily basis. Carlisle was what I wanted to be.

"You ready to do this, Bells?" Jacob asked.

"Yes."

"We won't be far," Sam said as he final parting words. He left the bedroom and though I didn't actually see him change, I saw distinct pieces of fabric going flying on his way to the door.

"I'm going to phase too. I will be able to keep up with you better that way," Jacob explained. "It will be a little harder to communicate, but if I need to talk to you immediately, I'll phase back."

He led me to the door and as we stepped outside, I was overwhelmed by everything around me. I could smell mixtures of different kinds of wood, flowers and grasses mixed with scents of various animals I couldn't yet identify. I crinkled my nose. Scratch that. The smell of wet dog was heavily apparent.

"All right. Here's the crash course on hunting," Jacob said. "Your instincts will do most of the work for you, but you need to be in tune with your senses. Your instincts will be based on what you're hearing, seeing and smelling. Stay down wind of your pray. I'm sure you're stealthy enough to use surprise as an advantage. You've hung out with more leeches," I made a face at the word but Jacob continued, "than me so I'm sure you know how fast they can be. It's hard to describe, but if you feel like your senses take over your focus and you no longer realize what you're doing, that's when you need to bring yourself back."

"You make it sound so easy," I said grimly.

"We're looking out for you, Bella."

"Really? 'Cause it sounded more like Sam was ready to take me down the minute I failed," I shot back, my nerves getting the better of me.

"He won't, not unless I say so, and that is very unlikely. You would have to take out half of Forks before I'd let—" Jacob's words died as he saw my face. "I'm sorry, that was stupid. You are strong, Bells. You can do this."

I took a deep unnecessary breath. "Okay, let's do it." Jacob nodded with enthusiasm. I looked around me and tried to figure out the best way to do this. I found myself closing my eyes and focusing on everything around me. It was hard. Everything seemed so loud and I wasn't sure what to focus on.

Then I caught the sound of a gentle lapping, as if made by creek or a brook, but it was too rhythmic. As I focused in that area, I could hear the sound of four legs walking stealthily along the ground and the crunching of grass like someone was chewing with their mouth open. I guessed there were three or four deer, but I wasn't sure how far away. I opened my eyes and glanced at Jacob, who looked slightly hunched over and tense, as if waiting for some signal from me. I braced myself, remembering how fast Edward was able to run through the woods and how I'd worried about him hitting something. I wondered if I was truly more graceful and agile as a vampire, otherwise I could see running at top speeds through the woods to be very dangerous.

I focused to make sure the deer still hadn't moved and then let myself start running. At first, I didn't think I was running any faster than I would if I was human, but I soon realized it was only because my eyes were so much sharper. Where my human eyes would have interpreted blurring motion because of the speed, my vampire eyes seemed to take everything in at a steady run. I was only able to tell because I tried to measure the time it took to travel distances between far away landmarks, like trees and rocks. It only took mere seconds to reach most of my goals.

Once I seemed assured running into objects in the woods wasn't going to be an issue, I focused back to the deer. They remained in their area, calm as could be. I felt my throat burn aggressively as I got closer. The scent wasn't very appealing, but I also knew it wasn't going to be. My instincts seemed to take over. My pace slowed and I focused entirely on the deer. I didn't even have to see where they were. My body seemed to already know.

I moved so quietly, it was hard to for me to believe I was even moving at all. I could tell by their calm heart beats and consistent movements that they weren't afraid. They did not hear me till it was too late. I had them in my sights, through the trees, when one of their heads finally shot up in alarm and I could hear its blood pump faster. That was the one I wanted. It was more aware than the others, but it still never stood a chance.

I choose to leap over the small creek and was surprised by the height and distance of my jump. I came down right next to the deer. I grabbed it easily. One arm went around its massive stomach as my other hand steadied the neck, so I would have a straight shot to the vein in the neck. I bit without thought and let the warm liquid swirl down my throat. It was only mildly satisfying, but that didn't keep me from drinking it.

The deer struggled for the first minutes and then its movements slowed into feeble protests until it finally stopped moving at all. I wanted to stop, pull away the moment the deer stopped breathing, but I couldn't manage to pull away until there was no more blood left in it. I sprang away from it like it was a venomous snake. The gentle doe could have been sleeping if its eyes were closed. Instead they stayed open and empty. I fought against the image of the deer struggling and I wondered if I actually could do this again. The burning was only more prevalent after finally getting a taste of what it wanted.

I heard the sound of a twig break somewhere near me and froze. I listened for movement, but all I could hear was the sound of a heart beating wildly and a light panting. Then I heard running. I fell into a crouch, my eyes focused on the source of the noise. It was getting louder and I expected it would reach where I was very soon. A snarl ripped through my throat and I couldn't help the instinctual desire to defend myself, despite any real proof of a dangerous threat.

A reddish brown wolf broke through the trees and stopped about ten feet away from me. It was large, almost the size of an average bear. I hissed at it and rather than becoming defensive itself, it did something completely unexpected. It fell back onto its haunches and sat down patiently. My eyes met its deep black ones and I suddenly felt relaxed. I came out of my crouch and allowed myself back in my head. This was Jacob. I'd just snapped at Jacob and been prepared to attack him without a second thought.

"Jacob," I whispered in distress. I fell to my knees. I couldn't do this. Not only had I almost attacked him, twice, I'd just sucked the life out of a helpless animal. This wasn't me. I heard the gentle trot of Jacob's wolf feet as he approached me.

He nudged my hands with his snout, whimpering lightly.

"I can't do it, Jake. I don't want to be a killer," I cried. My eyes felt as if I was crying, but nothing fell from my face. Jacob scooted his face under my arm and let it rest there. I remembered Emmett's constant joke about his family being vegetarians, but for me, there was nothing vegetarian about mercilessly taking a life, even if it was the life of an animal.

I became aware of Jacob pulling away from me and I turned to watch him. He trotted into the woods and came back about a minute later with a good-sized branch in his mouth. It was completely stripped of leaves, and the sight was quite comical. His steps were slow and deliberate so his hips purposefully swayed. He held his head high in the air, like a pristine show dog. He stopped in front of me and dropped the stick next to me, wagging his wolf tail furiously in accomplishment.

I couldn't help but grin. To know that my friend, the werewolf, had just fetched a stick was pretty amusing. I went to reach for the stick, but Jacob bent down and scooped it into his mouth quickly. Jacob began to throw his head deliberately in the air, so when he did so he'd release his grip on the stick and it would go flying. If he didn't catch it while it was falling he'd trot after it animatedly, like it would flee from him if he didn't pounce on it at once. I couldn't help the laughter that escaped my lips.

After trapping the stick under his paw, Jacob allowed his wolf eyes to meet mine. I felt like he was trying to tell me something, though I wasn't quite sure what, so I just paid attention. He pulled his head back to one side and tossed the stick just up the creek a little ways from me. The water took it and I stood up to watch it bob along the current I caught sight of Jacob sinking low to the ground. It was an offensive move before an attack and I felt my muscles tense instinctively. Much to my confusion, however, he took off towards the water in a full run only to grab the stick just as it got near the shore. He opened his jaw and let the stick drop just by the shore and he trapped it under his paws. Once again, his eyes met mine. Then he lifted one paw and grabbed one end of the stick within his teeth and pulled up. The sharp crack of the stick breaking echoed loudly in my ears. Jacob looked up at me patiently.

I didn't know how to react, but before my lack of understanding could appear on my face, my mind was already processing the event again. I caught sight of the drained deer at my feet and suddenly understood. Jacob had just showed me another way to hunt. Using the stick to symbolize the animal, he'd proceeded to obtain it, and then showed how to possibly break its neck or at least somehow kill the animal. At least that way, I wouldn't have to deal with it struggling and hopefully the death could be quick and painless and I wouldn't feel as guilty.

"Alright, I see what you're getting at." Jacob's ears perked up and he began to wag his tail. "Let's try this again your way." I closed my eyes and worked on picking out the sounds around me to locate my next prey. I felt a little better about the situation especially with Jacob's non-verbal advice. I just hoped I wouldn't make any mistakes.


	6. Compromising Decisions

**Compromising Decisions**

Bella Swan's POV

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The second kill of my first ever hunting expedition went more smoothly than the first. Jacob's advice of catching and killing the deer did make the process easier, though it wasn't easy to take the sound of the animal's neck breaking. I didn't feel as much of a monster by putting the animal out of it's misery before drinking its blood, but it still wasn't a very enjoyable experience. I managed to catch two more deer after the first, though if anyone saw me, they might have thought the deer won.

I'd torn my clothes running through the woods on stray branches. Underneath the holes in my clothes, my skin showed none of the harsh scratch marks that should have appeared had my skin been human. I did, however, have splotches of deer blood on areas of my shirt where it had gushed from my initial bite. Dirt, mainly from struggling with the first deer, seemed to have created a thin layer on my clothes. I couldn't see my hair, but it had to look a little crazy. I was pretty sure my brown locks had trapped a few leaves during my run. The good news was I was no longer hungry. The burning in my throat had not fully been suppressed, I couldn't image feeding again. At least this way, the thirst wasn't as prominent and I could focus on other things.

I stood up from my latest kill and searched for Jacob. He was lying on his stomach, his head in his paws, watching me. He seemed a little bit more relaxed than he had when we started out, which made me feel better. I felt as if we had more confidence in each other's strength to be there for one another.

"I'm done," I told him. He got to his feet slowly, as he stretched his front and hind legs almost emphatically. If he was in his human form I could imagine him saying, "Took you long enough."

"Think you can beat me back?" I asked, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

His ears perked up as he looked at me and then he let the front half of his body fall low to the ground. His ears fell against his head. He stared straight ahead like a racer waiting for a gun at the start line. I laughed and without waiting for any formal countdown, I took off into the woods.

I could hear the sound of paw prints all around me, though most of them were further off than Jacob, who didn't seem to be more than a few feet behind me. I didn't completely remember what direction I came from, but it didn't seem to matter. As I continued the smell of the wood cabin became more apparent and I was able to run towards it. I was caught off guard however, when a howling somewhere to my left broke my concentration. My pace slowed slightly. The howl echoed from somewhere behind me. I had slowed down to a jog and I was about to turn around and ask Jacob what was going on when I felt a breeze jostle my hair and with it came the most delicious scent I'd ever smelt.

I came to a full stop. A moment later I felt something large crash into the back of my legs, but it merely bounced off. It wasn't enough to distract me from this scent. It was like walking down an aisle of exotic fruits. My mind conjured up memories of mangoes, pineapple and passion fruits and my mouth felt like it was watering. All I wanted to do was track the scent.

The howl from behind me, Jacob's howl, sounded again but it wasn't enough to hold me back. Instead, I changed my direction and took off away from the wood cabin. The scent was my path and its source was my destination. The deer seemed insignificant to this smell, it was like I hadn't even eaten at all. My throat burned with impatience and I breathed deeper, hoping to soothe it. The scent was almost dizzying it smelt so good.

Suddenly, two wolves came into my path. The dark grey one was snarling and bearing its teeth while the brown one simply stood its ground, its stance ready for anything. I snarled back, angry that they were blocking the way. Without even thinking, I crouched down and then jumped high out of reach of their snarling teeth. I jumped a good fifteen feet past them before my feet landed on the ground again and I took off running once more.

The smell was getting stronger and I felt I could almost taste my reward when out of nowhere something ran into my side. Whatever it was, I was suddenly tripping and heading straight for the ground. I did a forward roll and landed on the balls of my feet, ready to attack. I recognized Jacob's still form on the ground and I forgot all about the scent. I ran to his side, nearly hysterical.

"Jake? Jacob? Are you alright?" I ran my hand across his fur and I felt his body shiver at its touch. He lifted his head up to look at me, whimpering slightly. I looked frantically around me, hoping for help before realizing the two of us were completely surrounded by wolves.

The dark grey one was still snarling and now crouched low. The other three were waiting tensely for something, but I wasn't sure what. I turned my attention to Jake, who was surprisingly already standing up and panting. I could see the laughter in his eyes. I didn't know whether to sigh with relief or slap him up-side the head. Before I could speak, the laughter disappeared and his head swiveled to the dark grey wolf, growling. The grey wolf looked angry and his eyes were flickering between me and Jacob. I got the feeling some sort of silent argument was going and I was willing to bet it was about me.

The black and largest wolf out of the five stepped into the circle, toward Jacob and gave a quick biting growl. Tense looks still passed between Jacob and the dark grey wolf, but they were quiet. Jacob gave an almost inconceivable nod to the black wolf and nudged me back in the direction of the cabin. The playfulness that came with our race was gone. I decided to set the pace as a walk and Jacob fell easily in step with me.

We reached the cabin without incident. Jacob took a moment to disappear into the woods and came back a couple minutes later fully clothed in everything but shoes. He wouldn't look at me and I took it as a very bad sign. As he led the way back into the cabin, I stopped in the doorway, hesitantly.

"I blew it, didn't I?"

Jacob looked up at me but still didn't quite look at me in the eyes. "No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have let you get ahead of me."

"We were racing, Jake, that's kind of how those things work," I scoffed.

"This isn't a game," Jake snapped back. His expression responded to mine and he instantly looked guilty. "Sorry, I got a little chewed out back there. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"I wish you would, especially since I deserve it."

"No, you don't. You don't have control yet and we should have played things safer."

I paused for a moment, my gaze to the floor. "That was a human scent wasn't it?" Jake nodded. I ran to the couch and sat down, my head in my hands. "I just couldn't help it. The scent smelt so good and it became all I could think about. I didn't care what got in my way. I just wanted to find the source of that smell and drink it dry. It consumed me. And then there you were, lying on the ground. Jake, what were you thinking? You could have been seriously injured."

"It was the least I could do," Jacob responded sadly. "If I didn't do something, the pack would of. It was the only thing I could think of."

"So, when you said you were getting chewed out--?"

"When we phase into our wolf form our thoughts are no longer private. We can all hear what the others are thinking. It comes in handy when we're planning methods of attack or hunting. It only works wolf-to-wolf though. Paul wanted to take you out right then. Said your actions just proved you would be a danger to us and the people of Forks. There was no reason to wait. Sam wasn't at all happy either, to say the least."

"Oh," was the only response I could form. I hated that I'd forced Jacob into a position where he had to not only deal with my attacks on him, but he had to deal with the attacks of the other wolves. I didn't feel as if I deserved any of it. He was being an amazing friend to me and I return the favor by trying to attack him and attempting to go on a feeding frenzy. "Maybe I should leave Forks."

"What? No!" Jacob said without hesitation.

"The Cullens' knew some other vegetarian vampires in Denali," I suggested thoughtfully. "It might be a good idea if I stayed with them for a little while. Just until I got the hang of things." As little as the idea appealed to me because I did not want to leave Forks, I felt it was probably best for everyone, especially Jacob. I would at least be putting the burden on someone who was a vampire and new what to expect. As much as I didn't want to think this way, but I also realized that if I slipped up, I didn't want the person to be someone I knew. If I went to Alaska there would be pretty much a ninety-nine percent chance I would not hurt someone I knew.

"No, Bella. They may understand your situation better, yes, but they don't know you. They won't be able to bring the human part back into you because they don't know that part of you."

I felt my eyes narrow. "Is that what you're hoping for, Jacob? That you'll bring out the human inside of me and we can get back to normal? I hate to burst your bubble, Jake, but that's not going to happen."

"That's not what I meant, Bella." Jacob looked flustered and I could see he was on the verge of becoming angry with me. His hands looked shaking and he seemed to be making an effort to regulate his breathing. "I'm just saying just because you're not physically human anymore doesn't mean that part of your life isn't still somewhere within you. I'm betting it's those memories that keep you sane. They are why you care about your actions. It's animalistic to act on your desires, but it's human to suppress them. It's because of who you are, not what you are, that will allow you to stay strong."

I had never thought about it that way. Jacob made a valid point, one I certainly wanted to agree with, especially since it would mean me staying in Forks, but I still couldn't completely let go of all the trouble I had caused him. I felt even more uncomfortable about what the future might hold.

"Jake, I still can't let you take the fall for my burden and I don't want you to get hurt in the process. I think it would be the best thing—"

"No, you're not going," Jacob said with a note of finality.

"Compromise?"

"No."

"Jake—"

"A week—"

"And then what?"

"I stay for a week and if things go smoothly, I forget about Denali."

"A year."

"How is that a compromise?" I asked exasperated by his lack of bargaining. "Two weeks."

"Please…Is that how you haggle? Six months."

"You're one to talk. One month and that's my final offer."

"Five."

"Jake—"

"Fine, fine. A month, but trust me, Bells, you won't need it."

I gave him a small smile. "I would be perfectly happy if that's true."

* * *

The next couple of days went much smoother, though I would have been bored out of my mind if it weren't for Jacob. The wolves basically had me confined to the cabin with no TV and no means of communication to the outside world.

Since the change, it became apparent that I lacked some of the most basic essentials, including clothes. At first Embry, who was the only one of the wolves who made contact with me besides Jacob, brought me some of his old clothes that were too small for him since he became a werewolf, but I was unable to wear them. The smell of dog seemed saturated into every fiber and I found myself going crazy in them. Jacob saved me in that department by appearing with a couple pairs of decent jeans and some older looking tee-shirts. They had a hint of a human smell to them, but when I asked where Jacob got them, he simply answered I wouldn't want to know.

We spent the days talking. Jacob had taken to trying to fix the old radio in the cabin so we'd have some connection to Forks. Sometimes we'd play cards. However, since I no longer required sleep, I still struggled to find things to amuse myself. At first, it was just cleaning the place. The wolves had done a mediocre job and that was putting it nicely. I quickly found my strength made it easy to move dressers, the bed and the refrigerator to reach spots they couldn't or hadn't made the effort to try.

When that was done, I often found myself lying on the bed looking out the window into the woods. I would try and think about what my friends were doing. Really I just wished I could talk to Angela. I tried to image how she'd react if I told her about the Cullens, Jacob and finally me being a vampire. She'd probably think I was crazy, but when I could finally convince her she'd probably think I was a monster and never speak to me again.

I sighed as I felt my mind wandering in the direction I wished it wouldn't go. I finally understood what it felt like to be Edward. When he'd told me over and over how he felt like a monster or the villain or that he was going to hell. I could finally believe it. If I was anything else, I wouldn't need to be cooped up in a cabin in the woods away from people and constantly guarded. Was this what it was going to be like for the rest of the year? How long would it actually take for me to have enough control to be around humans? Jasper had been living with the Cullens for awhile now and still did not have complete control that much was obvious. I knew I would never last that long in what might as well be defined as captivity.

I found it easier to think of the Edward and the rest of the Cullens now that the change had blurred some of my human pain, but even as a vampire I felt half of me was missing. If I thought the burning in my throat, the constant thirst or the craving for human blood was bad, it was nothing compared to how much I yearned for Edward. When I remembered the vampires in Denali, I couldn't help but wonder or maybe hope if I went there I would run into Edward. I knew at least, I would be more likely to find him there than in Forks.

I constantly wondered where he was and what he was doing. I didn't dare speculate if he was thinking about me or missing me. I wasn't willing to go down a road of what-ifs and feelings of inadequacy. I couldn't help but want to know what he'd think if he saw me now. Would he turn me away because my blood no longer enticed him? Would he reject my new face, body and voice? I guess in the end it wouldn't matter. Edward Cullen was not coming back to Forks.

From the moment I uncovered Edward's secret I knew I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be a vampire so we could live together, always. Now it didn't seem so great. Being a vampire felt much more like an earthly death sentence. What would I do if I finally managed to control my thirst? I couldn't stay in Forks forever but at the same time there was no other place I wanted to go.

"What do I do?" I asked allowed.

"You have to be a bit more specific than that." I sat up sharply. Jacob stood in the doorway, shirtless. It wasn't the way he liked to sleep considering his exceptional body temperature but it was what we had agreed on. I was more caught off guard by the fact I had not picked up on his rapidly beating heart or even his very presence watching me.

"How long have you been watching me?" I demanded.

"Long enough to hear your question, but I'm a little lost as to what exactly you were referring to." He grinned as he entered the bedroom perching on the corner of the bed.

"It's nothing." My future wasn't something I wanted to discuss with Jacob. He'd made his position quite clear to me. He didn't want me to leave Forks and for the time being there wasn't a reason to, so it didn't even need to be discussed right now.

"C'mon, Bells."

Maybe it was Jacob's brutal honesty or unwavering loyalty but I loved talking to him. Sometimes it was like talking to a brick wall, but I still wouldn't have it any other way. "I'm wondering about being a vampire. My future…Jake, I don't think I want this."

"That's fair, it's not like you asked for it, but that doesn't mean you can't make the best of it," Jacob argued.

"What part of this is the best part? I don't want to watch my friends, my parent, even you die…Where will I be when everyone else is gone?"

To my surprise Jacob was smiling widely. "I can't do much about your friends or parents, I really wish I could, but you will always have me."

"What do you mean?"

"Bella, we only become wolves when we have a reason to. It used to be rival tribes, but once the reservation was set up the only thing that seemed to awaken the wolves inside us were leeches—I mean vampires." Jacob was starting to talk really excitedly as if building up to some big grand finale.

"I don't think I understand."

"We stop being able to phase when the threat goes away, but while we have this ability to phase, we don't age." He stopped and stared at me. It took only a brief moment for me to realize what he was saying. If we stayed together neither of us would ever age and therefore never alone.

"Jake, that's amazing!" I said finally understanding his excitement. I took him into a hug and he wrapped his around my back happily. I felt as if a good portion of weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I loved the idea of Jake being able to stay with me but I also worried about Jake's future. What kind of life would it be hanging out with a friend who's a vampire all the time?

"But don't you want to get married?" I asked.

His eyes brightened significantly. "Sure, someday! But there's no need to rush it when you've got forever, right?" I felt hesitant.

"As long as you're happy," I relented.

"Bells, there's nothing that would make me happier." And from the look in his eyes, I believed him.


	7. Vampire Desires

**Vampire Desires**

Bella Swan's POV

* * *

Jacob and the rest of the pack took me hunting again. I felt my skills improving some what. I didn't get nearly as dirty as the first time and I also didn't lose my head and try to attack a human, not that there had been any around. I did notice the wolves staying closer to me and Jacob wasn't nearly as relaxed as our first outing, but that was the way it should have been anyway.

I looked over at Jacob who was spread-out haphazardly across the couch, snoring lightly. My estimate of the stars through the windows placed the time around 3 am. Jacob had been trying so hard to make me happy, make this transition easier for me when I deserved none of it, newborn or not. I debated my options.

I could stay here and wait out my adjustment period, I could wait out the month as I promised Jacob and then go to Denali or I could plan an escape and take-off to Denali on my own, which would be tricky and it might mean I couldn't return to Forks for awhile. Even after a month though, I was convinced Jacob wouldn't let me leave so willingly. It was selfish of me to stay here. I wasn't doing Jacob or anyone else any good. I didn't know what kind of greeting I'd receive in Denali and the idea of leaving Jacob would have made it difficult to breathe if it was still a necessity.

I looked warily out into the woods, wondering if I really stood any chance in out-smarting or out-running the pack. I'd seen them in action and knew they were fast and strong and of course, if they took my escape route as a threat to Forks, I'd be in trouble. I was barely trained to hunt, let alone take on a bunch of werewolves. Jacob let out a deep throated snore and I smiled and then felt a pang in my chest. Leaving Forks and leaving Jacob would be a lot harder than I originally thought. It was difficult to convince myself to leave when it was the last thing I wanted to do. I slammed my fist down on the window sill and the wooden board broke off at the pressure. I managed to catch it before it hit the floor. I sat there like a statue, holding the board where I'd caught it in mind air and waited to hear another one of Jacob's snores to let me know he was still asleep. To my relief it came a second later.

I set the board on the floor quietly for a project at a later date. As I sat back up to look out the window again, a distant howl sounded. Surprisingly my fist dismembering the window sill didn't wake him up, but the call did. Must be a wolf thing. I heard Jacob's heart rate increase and hurried thumping as he approached the bedroom. He looked relieved to see me.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. It was an alert call," Jacob said. "I thought it was about you. I need to phase and find out what's going on. I'll be back." Without another word, Jacob disappeared. Turning to the window I saw his large frame disappear into the forest. He wouldn't go far, he never did, but I still wish he hadn't left. Despite being a vampire, it still made me feel vulnerable.

Just as I was about to head into the living and try and find something to occupy my time until Jacob came back, a scent I'd never smelt wafted through the window and I froze. It smelt like cherry blossoms. Instead of making my mouth water, I could feel my muscles tense, urging my body into a defensive stance, a snarl on the surface of my lips. It was another vampire and I felt the desire to defend my territory and the power to do it coursing through my veins. Obviously, what had set off the wolves was this vampire's presence.

I ran to the door pausing for a millisecond to wonder whether or not this vampire could be a Cullen, but the Cullens' knew better. Coming this close would violate the pact. Unless they knew about me being changed. That would mean it was most likely Alice. She would have seen it. My muscles were still tensed even with my new found excitement as I took off into the woods, following the scent. I was partially worried that if it was a Cullen, the pack and Jacob would do everything possible from letting me see them. That, I decided, would be my best excuse if I ran into Jacob.

I flew through the woods, the darkness having no effect on my running speed or ability to see. It was as clear as day to me, especially since half the moon lit up the ground. I followed the scent's path but it seemed to be fading and mixed heavily with the scent of the wolves. I suddenly heard the distinct sound of paw prints coming from in front of me. I tried veering off to the left but the wolf followed and appeared a second later. I recognized the dark grey fur of Paul easily in the darkness. He was snarling at me, snapping his jaw open and close with every growl.

"Calm down, Paul, I'm not hunting. I smell vampire. Is it Alice? Paul, if it's Alice, I want to talk to her." Paul just continued to growl. I glared at him. "I can't read your mind, Paul. Blink or something and answer my question." Paul snapped his jaw again while taking a step forward. I felt a snarl of my own deep in my throat. My patience with his attitude was running thin. I could barely pick up the scent any more, especially around the potent smell of Paul.

"Move out of the way, Paul," I said, finishing my sentence with a snarl of my own. Paul seemed to accept this as a challenge and took another threatening step forward. I ran forward and pushed him out of the way with what I thought was normal force, but he landed against a tree five feet away and came to his feet with furious eyes. He galloped towards me, lunging at my throat. His motions to me felt slow and I caught him with a punch in mid-air and he came skidding to a stop near a rock. He rose to his feet a little more slowly this time, but he recovered and came at me charging again, this time, aiming at my lower legs. Before he could make contact with me, a large red figure came from my right side and ran into Paul's massive body.

I instantly recognized Jacob as he got up first and clenched his massive jaws around Paul's neck. Paul shook him off and kicked out with his back legs into Jacob's side to give him just enough time to turn around and go for Jacob's neck. Jacob anticipated the move and shifted his weight to his hind legs and propelling himself on top of Paul causing the two of them to go tumbling to the ground. This time Paul managed to get to his feet and went for one of Jacob's legs. Jacob used the opportunity to shift his weight in order to ram Paul in the side with his head flipping Paul onto his side. Paul stayed down, breathing heavily. The two wolves seemed to be staring one another down and catching their breaths as well as having some sort of conversation.

With a glance at me, Paul got to his feet and disappeared, somewhat slowly into the woods. Jacob glanced at me in what almost seemed like disappointment, but I couldn't be sure. He turned away a disappeared into some brush and then he called out, "Don't move, Bella."

I was frustrated. The scent was barely still in the air and from the tone of Jacob's voice he was not happy with me. My guess proved accurate when he rounded the corner in jeans and nothing else. His eyebrows were pinched so close together they almost seemed to be touching and his stance was threatening enough that I had to fight my instinctive growl.

"What the hell were you thinking? I told you I would be right back!" Jacob yelled. Every muscle in his toned body was rigid, like rock.

"Don't yell at me! I am not a prisoner, Jake. I am allowed to leave. You would have known if there were humans around just as much as I would. I wasn't a threat to anyone."

"And what about if that changed, Bella? What if the wind shifted and no one knew you had left? You realize the pack won't allow you to make a mistake," Jacob pointed out.

"I don't _want _to make a mistake. Believe me. If that happens, I don't know how I'd live with myself, let alone face you again."

Jacob's expression softened as he walked over and took me in a hug. "There's nothing you could do that would cause you to lose me."

"Promise?" I asked, hopefully.

"Promise," Jacob answered into my hair. He pulled away and looked at me. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have yelled, Paul was being stupid and it pissed me off."

"I told him I wasn't hunting."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't have a lot of trust in vampires, and none of us know what to expect from you. What were you doing out here anyway?" Jacob asked.

"So glad you think so highly of me," I said rolling my eyes. Jacob chuckled. "But I caught the scent of another vampire. I thought it might be Alice."

Jacob's smile disappeared and his nose wrinkled in disdain. "Why would you think it was a Cullen?"

"Are you telling me it wasn't?"

"No, it wasn't." His eyes suddenly turned hesitant as he looked at me.

"Tell me, Jake," I demanded.

"It was the mate of the leech—sorry, vampire with dreads." I struggled in trying to remember to breathe before I reminded myself I didn't have to. Still, I felt the action calming anyway. A hazy memory and the associated emotional pain struck me with a dulled fear.

"What did she look like?" I found myself asking, pronouncing the words very slowly.

Jacob looked at me oddly. "Like a leech. Pale, fast, red-hair—"

"Red-hair," I repeated. I couldn't believe that out of all the people, well, vampires, that had affected my life, I had managed to forget about Victoria. With getting used to the new me, Victoria had fallen to the back of my mind. I tried remembering some of the details of what Laurent had said to me in woods but could only recall a few chilling lines.

_"She thought it more appropriate to kill you than Edward—fair turnabout, mate for mate._

_"I'll be very quick. You won't feel a thing, I promise. Oh, I'll lie to Victoria about that later, naturally, just to placate her. But if you knew what she had planned for you, Bella…"_

A smoky vision of her curly red hair and confident smile flashed through my mind and I felt my hands clench. I wondered if Victoria knew Laurent was dead or was simply just testing the defenses of the wolves to try to get to me. The idea of taking Victoria on was more appealing to me than a human scent. She probably had no idea what Laurent had done. Victoria was probably under the assumption she was still hunting a defenseless human. I didn't know how long I could keep this a secret from her, but I planned to use it to my advantage. As various scenarios came into mind about how I would track Victoria down and kill her, I realized that Jacob was struggling to get my attention.

"What?" I demanded as he attempted to shake my unmovable frame.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, but interrupted before I can answer. "I've been trying to get your attention for the last 5 minutes and you not only ignored me, but you also haven't blinked and it's really freaking me out," Jacob rushed out.

I laughed and blinked emphatically for his benefit causing him to smile. "That vampire? Her name's Victoria and she wasn't Laurent's mate. She may not even know he's dead."

Jacob frowned. "Then why is she here?"

"Me."

"_You_?" Jacob asked surprised.

"It's kind of a long story," I said hesitantly, "but the essence of the story is that Edward killed her mate James, who tried to kill me."

Jacob's expression darkened at the mention of Edward's name. "I think you better tell me the whole story." I nodded and Jacob took various stances sitting on a log, standing, and finally pacing as I got to the end of my story.

"That bite, I saw you touch it when I told you about the red-headed blood-sucker. Her mate gave it to you?" I looked down at the wound surprised that I hadn't noticed myself doing that at the time and nodded slowly. After the transformation, I had thought it might disappear, but there must have been something about vampire venom that prevented that.

Jacob didn't even seem to acknowledge my response. It seemed more like he was thinking out loud. "And vampires have special powers. It was always suspected, but it's good to know. Do all vampires have powers?" Jacob had finally stopped pacing and was looking at me intently.

"No, just some of them." I had forgotten about the fact that vampires had gifts. Thinking back to my time as a vampire thus far, I felt disappointed that I didn't seem to have one.

"Do you have any powers?" Jacob asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," I said grumpily. I was just as average as a vampire as I was a human. Great.

"I can't believe all he's put you through," Jacob mumbled harshly. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for him."

"Jake—" I argued.

"Let's go back to the house," Jacob said abruptly.

"Why?" I asked, confused by the sudden change in Jacob.

"Because I need to talk to Sam and I need you some place I know where you are." I opened my mouth to argue my points about not being a prisoner once again, but Jacob shut me down. "Bella, please. I just don't want to have to worry about you or the pack getting nervous about what you're doing. Please, Bella, just come with me back to the house."

"Alright, Jake, but we need to talk about this," I compromised.

"Sure, sure. Let's go."

"I can get there on my own you know," I said as we started walking. He gave me a look of exasperation and I couldn't help but laugh a little. In retrospect, I could have worst captors than Jacob Black.


	8. Confrontations

**Confrontations**

Bella Swan's POV

* * *

Jacob spent a lot of time with the pack over the next few days. He came in periodically during the day to check on me, but refused to answer any of my questions about what he was up to. He would hang out for about an hour and even then he seemed pretty distracted. He wouldn't look at me and his responses were clipped at ten syllables or less. Even though I comfortably could have gone another day without hunting, I told Jacob I was thirsty just to spend time with him.

I pushed aside a half-drained deer and faced him with determination. "Jake, I want to talk to you," I said, staring down into his eyes. I could tell he was hesitant.

"Please." He breathed out deeply in what I took as defeat and headed to an area of brush to phase. He came out a couple of minutes later clothed, but without shoes. He still wouldn't look at me.

"I want to know what's going on. Why have you been so distant?"

Jacob shook his head dismissively. "It's nothing." I stared him down and Jacob glanced up at me uncomfortably. "I don't want to tell you."

"Why?" But inside, I knew this could only be about one thing.

Jacob didn't answer me directly. He stepped forward and placed his hands on either side of my arms. "Things have a way of working out and I think it's best if you stay here."

"The pack doesn't want me here," I summed up. It was just like I thought.

"That's not true. They are worried about the situation. They think you're too unpredictable," Jacob argued getting worked up. "It just means we have to keep a closer eye on you."

My eyes narrowed and I took a step back, out of Jacob's reach. "I told you before, Jake. I'm not your prisoner. I appreciate everything you and the pack have done for me, but I also need to be able to leave that house and go for a walk if I want to. I'm cut off from my life right now and believe me, I understand why, but I need to feel like I'm not a total liability."

Jacob frowned. "The pack won't go for it. After the other day with Paul…"

"He was being unreasonable," I argued.

"Well, unfortunately that's not how the pack sees it. They don't like that you hit him first."

"I didn't hit him! I was just trying to push him out of the way."

"I realize that, but they don't know what will set you off or how far you'll go for something you want." We stood in silence for a moment, neither of us knowing exactly what to say. Jacob wanted me here and I wanted to be with Jacob, but I couldn't ask Jacob to keep defending me to the pack, nor could I ask him to leave them. I had to do it.

"I think I should go to Denali," I concluded.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you," Jacob mumbled angrily, more to himself than to me. "That's not an option."

"I can't keep putting you in a place where you have to choose me over the pack."

"They're just a little uncomfortable. We can figure this out," Jacob insisted.

I shook my head. "I don't think it's a good idea."

"No, Bella. If you leave, I'm coming with you!" Jacob yelled.

"No, you're not," I said staying calm. "Do you really think you could leave the pack?" Jacob suddenly looked uncertain. I nodded in understanding. "Exactly and I will not ask you to."

"Don't do this, Bella," he said, stepping forward to hold me again. "We can make this work. Not to mention if you leave, there's no way we can protect you."

I laughed bitterly. "I'm a vampire, Jake, I think I'll be okay."

"Not against another vampire," Jacob pointed out. He was right. I was a brand new vampire with nothing but my instincts to go on and I'd already seen what happened when I lost control. If I were to come across Victoria, I doubted it would be much of a fight.

"Victoria wouldn't stand a chance against me," I said hoping I sounded more confident than I felt. From the look on Jacob's face, however, I was just as bad at lying as a vampire as I was a human.

"You really expect me to believe that?" Jacob asked in disbelief.

"There's no reason why I should run into her," I said, switching tactics. "I'll probably be halfway to Denali before she realizes I'm no longer in Forks."

Jacob still didn't look convinced. "And if you did?"

"I would do my best to get away," I answered simply, though that would not be the case. If I ran into Victoria, it would end in a fight. The thought of killing her actually made me feel energized, like adrenaline was running through my veins. I never thought the idea would be so pleasing, but it was like I hungered for it. I felt like I could sympathize with Emmett a little more in his desire to pick fights, but then again, Emmett was still twice my size. I didn't think Jacob needed to know that.

Jacob's look of doubt suddenly softened as he placed a hand under my chin and directed my eyes to his. "Please don't do this, Bella. Stay. Stay for me."

I looked back at Jacob, into those deep brown eyes that had been my strength since the Cullens had left. He'd proven himself over and over to be more loyal and forgiving than I could have ever asked for. I didn't deserve a friend like him. It was after all my fault that he'd even become a werewolf. I'd thought about this extensively one night and it came to my attention that the only reason Jacob transformed was because of Victoria and Laurent. The Cullens had disappeared from Forks months before. There was no vampire threat except from the two vampires trying to track me down. So, as I stared back into Jacob's eyes, feeling safe and comfortable, I realized it was time for me to do the right thing and give back to him in the same way he had for me.

"Okay, Jake, I'll stay," I whispered. Jacob's face lit up and he took me in a fierce hug. "Thank you, Bells," he mumbled into my shoulder.

He pulled away and smiled at me and I did my best to smile back. "It'll work out, you'll see."

I nodded. "Now go phase, I'm still thirsty and my food's gotten cold," I joked, gesturing to the forgotten deer.

Jacob laughed. "Sure, sure." I watched Jacob walk away and disappear into the brush so he could undress and phase. The smile fell from my face as I reminded myself that leaving Forks was for the best for me and for Jacob.

* * *

I decided it would be best for me to leave that night. I had just hunted so I wouldn't have to worry about stopping as I made my way to Denali. I planned on sticking to the woods and holding my breath the whole way to ensure that I wouldn't be distracted by any scents. I didn't have a map, but I knew the general direction and I hoped by the time I got to Alaska I could follow the vampire scent and pray there were no humans around. I hoped it wouldn't be an issue since vampires tended to distance themselves from humans for privacy and removing temptations.

I looked over the small cabin debating whether there was anything I wanted to take with me. My eyes fell on a black hooded sweat-shirt Jacob had brought for me to wear. Ever since he became a werewolf, sweatshirts had become a pretty useless item to him. It was one of the pieces of clothing I had dismissed because his smell overwhelmed me, but as I thought about leaving and distancing myself from him I thought about how much I would want a reminder.

I grabbed it off the dresser and threw it over my head and was struck instantly by the smell but I pulled it down tight against my body, which was hard considering how large it was on me. I glanced around again, but wasn't able to see anything else of significance that I wanted to take. I soundlessly walked out of the bedroom and paused by the couch. Jacob once again was sound asleep. Despite my insistence that he could use the bed, because I never did, he never seemed to make it there. He lay stretched out across the couch, which was really too short to accommodate his large frame but somehow he looked comfortable and peaceful. His head was tucked into the crook of us arm and his other arm rested on the couch with his hand hanging over the side. He was shirtless as usual and I could see his muscles expand and contract as he breathed.

I watched him for a few minutes, taking the time to memorize every detail of him, though I knew I didn't need to. My vampire memory had taken care of that the moment I'd seen him.

"Jacob," I whispered, hoping I was quiet enough. He didn't stir. "I just—" I paused, not quite knowing how to say good-bye and then deciding to say things as simply as I could. "Don't come after me, Jake. I hope you can forgive me for this. I will be back. And please, take care of Charlie." I felt pain thinking of my dad. I hadn't seen him in so long and I hated putting him through this, but it had to be this way for now.

I thought about reaching out to touch him, but then thought against it. It would have woken him up for sure with the cold temperature of my skin. I thought for a moment longer. "I love you, Jake." With that, I threw the hood on and opened the front door. I took one final breath of the woods, of Forks, and disappeared at full-speed into the woods.

Without my nose to pick up the scents around me, I felt a little vulnerable, but I tried to tune instead into the sounds and sights around me. Being around Jacob had made me sensitive to the rapid beating of werewolf hearts. I listened for that in order to navigate around the wolves in the woods. I heard no howl to indicate they were aware of my leaving. It wouldn't be much longer until I was out of La Push.

The more I ran, the tighter my chest became and I began to have doubts. What if I was making a big mistake? I doubted Jacob would welcome me back after just leaving. Not to mention I didn't know what to expect when I got to Denali. What was I supposed to say? Hi, I'm Bella Swan, I know the Cullens. Do you mind if I stay with you while I try and adjust to a vegetarian lifestyle?The longer I ran the more I thought that this was a bad idea, but I didn't have any other options. I knew it would be easy to convince myself out of doing something I didn't really want to do. But it's for the best. If things didn't work out in Denali, well, I'd deal with it if it happened.

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw her. She was fifty feet in front of me but I could see her clearly as if she were next to me. Not to mention her fiery red hair would give her away to anyone. I stopped dead. It was almost funny how out of place she looked. She had on what looked like a long brown designer coat with a fur collar, what I guessed to be a green silk blouse and pair of wrinkle-free black slacks. She would have been more suited in an office than the middle of a forest.

She watched me, her head cocked to one side and an amused grin on her face. I could feel the desire to fight coursing through me, a snarl in the back of my throat. I however wasn't going to make the first move.

She ran towards me, grinning the whole time before she stopped a couple of feet from me. She looked me up down, circling. "Well, Bella, looks like Laurent did you a favor." Her voice was no longer melodic to my ears, instead an uncontrollable fury seemed to ignite within me and I wanted nothing more to attack right then, but I held strong.

"I wouldn't call it that, but his death was hardly a tragedy."

"Yes, those mutts surely were good for something. Laurent was incompetent and weak anyway. But I like a challenge," she said with enthusiasm.

"How'd you even know what happened?" I asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

Victoria laughed. "Oh Bella, becoming a vampire has obviously done very little in improving your deductive abilities. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what happened. When Laurent didn't come back, I tracked him down myself and found the fire pit and smelt the scent of the wolves. Imagine my surprise when their scent led me to yours. The Cullens feed you to the wolves, Bella?"

I didn't answer and Victoria stopped circling and faced me with a sly grin. "I saw the empty house. Vacant apparently for awhile now. How is it that Edward could leave you behind?" My fists clenched at my side. "It disappoints me, because obviously you don't mean as much to him as I originally thought."

"Then why even come after me?" I demanded through clenched teeth, trying to do everything I could to not rip her apart right then. I didn't know how to fight and until I knew some of her strategy I wasn't going to attack and be blind sided.

"You two still have some connection and you're still the defenseless one. You may be a vampire now, but you don't stand a chance against me. I'll just have to go after Edward after this, to make it fairer," she said matter-of-factly.

That was it, I lost control. The idea of Victoria even touching Edward made my body tremble in anger. I stepped forward with the intent of punching her in the face but she was prepared. She grabbed my hand, twisting my arm behind my back to the point where I was sure I heard something pop quickly followed by a wave of pain. Taking my good arm, I elbowed her in the chest causing her to take a step back and release me. I whipped around and delivered a quick kick to her torso and watched in satisfaction as her back slammed into a tree.

The smile on her face was gone. She glared at me murderously and leaped into the air, where I watched amazed as she sailed over my head and landed gracefully beside me reaching for my throat. I grabbed her arm, ignoring the pain in my own and threw her easily over my shoulder. Victoria did a twist in the air and again, landed soundlessly on her feet. This time, I ran at her prepared to attack whatever piece of her flesh I came in contact with first. She gave me a half smile as she dropped to the ground, and stuck out her leg and knocked me off my feet. As I plunged forward she rose to her feet and brought up her knee so it connected with my stomach, knocking any and all air out of my lungs. The knee was removed and I felt a pressure on back and watched as the ground rose up to greet me.

I landed hard and the shock of the landing sent a shudder through my body. The pain, aside from shoulder, faded quickly and I was on my feet again.

"By all means, come at me again, Bella. I do enjoy knocking you to the ground," Victoria said as she watched me stand. I paused, realizing that I was not capable of taking her down. She could anticipate all my moves. I had only two choices then: I could run for it or I could let her take me down. My eyes narrowed. No, I would not give up. I would stay fighting, for Edward. Even though I was sure this was a fight I couldn't win, I would try nonetheless. I looked around, deciding my best advantage would be surprise, so I ran into the trees to find cover.

Victoria laughed. "Hiding from me, Bella? I must say I am very disappointed. I was hoping now that you're a vampire, you'd put up more of a fight. Without Edward protecting you, you're nothing." I moved to another tree as she spoke, trying to get close enough to sneak up behind her.

"James made me stronger. He taught me about tracking. It was slightly clever of you to try and cover your scent, but you can't mask yourself from me." I looked down at the sweatshirt surprised, not thinking about the fact that it could have covered my own scent. "I found you quite easily," Victoria continued. "Edward continually made you weak. You had to rely on him for everything. It's quite sad, really." I felt my anger burn within me, but I was literally about ten feet away from her and she gave no indication that she saw me.

Then, a few things happened all at once. Victoria whipped around facing me and started at a run after me. We both heard the paws thundering against the ground at the same time and our attention was stolen towards the source. Jacob broke through the trees at full speed, growling and ran full force towards Victoria. When he got close, he leapt into the air towards her, but Victoria batted him down with a snarl.

"Jake!" I cried, horrified as he slammed into the ground. To my relief he got up quickly. I ran from my hiding spot as he came at Victoria again, jaws snapping. As Jake got close this time, Victoria spun around with her leg outstretched and caught Jake in the jaw. Jake went down almost soundlessly, his head connecting with a rock as he hit the ground.

Furious, I grabbed a fallen tree from the ground and was surprised at how light it felt to me. I gripped the end of it like a bat and flung it easily at Victoria. It hit her shoulder and she slid across the ground. I watched in satisfaction as she stood and her blouse was now torn and her pants a dirty mess. She hissed loudly at me and then we both heard more footsteps, this time it was obvious it was the rest of the pack. Victoria's eyes met mine and I could see the burning hatred there. I couldn't help but smile back. With that, she took off into the woods.


End file.
